Donuts
by TaylorGibbs
Summary: After Kate makes a comment about Tony's weight, Gibbs tries to ease DiNozzo's mind. Gibbs/DiNozzo pairing. Next in the Julia Knows Best series.


Episode tag to Eye Spy

Gibbs hated the way Tony always took things to heart. He knew he'd stumbled onto something when he found Kate discussing Tony's weight with him, but with the long hours they worked on the case, Gibbs hadn't had the chance to boost Tony's self esteem. That needed to change. Tony needed to know just how damned perfect he was. A donut for breakfast wasn't running Tony's figure. Gibbs should know. He'd been up close and personal with Tony's body quite a bit lately.

They spent a couple of nights a week together, but Tony needed the retreat of his house and his things as much as Gibbs needed the solitude of being with his boat. They each had their comforts and both needed the familiar around them when they were deep in a case. Now that the case was closed, they had the weekend off, and Gibbs wanted to make sure Tony wasn't dwelling on the weight issue. Some day, Gibbs needed to know what had Tony's self esteem on permanently shaky ground. Some day, maybe DiNozzo would tell him.

It was oh nine hundred when Gibbs walked into Krispy Kreme a few miles from home, ordering a dozen freshly made glazed donuts to go. While he waited for the donuts to finish cooking, he got a huge cup of coffee and a couple of jelly donuts for himself. He had a wicked sweet tooth and his weight hadn't changed in over a decade, so a couple of donuts wouldn't hurt. He munched on the donuts slowly, wondering how he could best reach Tony.

DiNozzo was complex, cocky nature warring with his insecurities. Gibbs knew that working with Tony would be a long process, that their strengthening new bond was just a beginning. Tony needed a lot of work on his confidence. Kate's comment had affected Tony on a deep level and Gibbs needed to stop this in its tracks before it got out of control and Tony was eating like Abby.

Donuts and sex were a good start. A damned good start. It wasn't as if Gibbs wouldn't benefit from them as well.

"Jethro!" Gibbs head snapped up and he turned when someone called his name. He grinned widely as Julia came strolling in. "What are you doing here?"

"Eating donuts," he shot back. "You?"

"I had a morning thing at Mount Vernon. Travel agent breakfast thingie." She looked at his half eaten donut and arched a brow. "This isn't your usual toast."

"Nope," Gibbs agreed, licking a bit of jam dripping off his finger before taking another huge bite.

"Why the donuts? I know these guys have good coffee, but you can get coffee much closer to home. Or in your home itself. And Krispy Kremes are in every grocery store."

"Not the same as when they're fresh, Julia."

"Donut connoisseur now, are you?"

" Just a little experiment," Gibbs said casually.

"Oh?" Julia asked, stealing a nibble off the corner of his donut and sitting beside him.

"DiNozzo's got a weight complex. Kate made a comment and he's going overboard. You know how he is."

"So you're going to bring over donuts and show him how wrong he is? Or are you just going to work off the extra calories?" Julia did the closest thing to a leer that he'd seen from her in a long time, and Gibbs shook his head, fighting the urge to laugh.

"Don't know yet. Don't have a game plan." He was very aware that his face was bright red now.

"How was it, Jethro?" She gave him a significant look.

"What?" he asked before his mind had fully processed what she was asking of him. When realization hit, he could feel his eyes widen. She was not asking about his sex life, was she?

"Not discussing it, Julia."

"That good?" she teased and he gave her is most furious look.

"Okay, I'll stop." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I was coming by to see you anyway. Will hasn't been in contact and I'm feeling a little needy."

She looked sad, Gibbs realized, and he tightened his arm around her. "I'll ask around, see what I can find out. I'm sure he's okay, Julia."

"I know. It's just, he's in a war zone and it's been weeks and…" She gathered herself and reached out, snagging his coffee and taking a long drink. "Not much of a military wife, am I?"

"You're fine," Gibbs assured, kissing her on the cheek. "How about Rob? Is he calling a lot?"

Julia pressed her lips together and shook her head. "You know what college life is like, Jethro. Girls and sports…"

He sighed, watching her. It was a huge adjustment for Julia to have an empty house all of a sudden. She'd expected Rob to go off to college, but Will's reserve unit being activated had been a surprise. "Come with me to Tony's. Sugar shock has to beat whatever else you have planned."

"Sure I won't be intruding?"

"Positive. Tony adores you and I know you like him too."

"I do."

"Settled then," Gibbs replied. He finished his coffee, popped the last bite of donut into his mouth, wiped his hands, paid, and then collected the box of piping hot glazed donuts for Tony.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up to Tony's apartment complex. Gibbs had instructed Julia to follow him there, but he had the sense that she'd been here before. He found himself following her as she knocked on the correct door without even asking which was Tony's. There was a certain rightness about the whole situation that made him smile. Julia knew about Tony and liked him, and Tony adored Julia. There wasn't that underlying tension there often was when Julia had met his girlfriends casually, or the cattiness with the wives.

Tony answered the door, looking just fucked and Gibbs' gut clenched for a second before he assured himself that Tony was his, that this was just Tony's normal morning state. A pair of jeans was unbuttoned and only partially zipped, his hair was a towel dried mess and still wet, and he was barefoot and bare chested. Gibbs was far too mature and grounded to leer, so he settled for an intense look that made his intent very clear.

"Julia…Boss?" Tony's voice went up on that last word and his eyes locked on Gibbs'.

"Dinner, my place," Julia said briskly. "Work up an appetite, boys." Gibbs was barely aware that she was leaving, only vaguely registering the sound of her heels as she departed.

Tony looked down at Gibbs' hands. "You bought breakfast?"

"Yeah, but I'm hungry for something a hell of a lot more tasty right now."

Tony gave him a knowing grin, his own intent sparking in his eyes. "Really hungry, huh?" Tony asked in a needy voice, his tongue roaming over his lower lip.

"Yeah, seems like forever since I had a good breakfast."

Tony hitched a shoulder. "Even Krispy Kremes can wait then. Come in, Gibbs. Breakfast is served." As he bolted toward the bedroom, glancing over his shoulder, Gibbs couldn't help laughing. Being with Tony was a constant adventure.


End file.
